Dickon Bend the Bow, and other wonder tales

Front matter

COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT

«W

*

CHAPTER I The Chamber of the Genii and What Befell King Ireil Therein

HNG OSYRUS was a great monarch, and more, he was a mighty magician; and yet more than these two, he was a good man. King Osyrus had two sons, Prince Ireil and Prince Oswald. Prince Ireil was a noble youth, and, like his father, he was good and wise; but Prince Oswald had all and more than all of his father’s talents without his virtues. He soon came to hate his brother,

IX because he had been bom first and would one day be King. This hatred grew as he became older and saw how great a power and glory would be his were it not for his brother, and dark thoughts crept into his soul, and he began to plan wickedly for the overthrow of Prince Ireil, and how to wrest the kingdom from him. To further these evil designs, he sought by much study and the practice of charms and weird enchantments to come into possession of powers more than mortal.

Now, within the King’s palace there was one room into which the King’s sons had been forbidden to enter or even to look. The King suffered no one to go with him into this chamber, so that not one, save the King himself, knew what was within, nor why its secret was so zealously guarded.

At last King Osyrus fell sick, and, knowing that his hour had come, he summoned his two sons to his bedside.

Prince Ireil came quickly and fell on his knees, weeping, by the side of the couch. Then the dying King placed upon his head the royal crown, and into his keeping he gave the keys to the royal palace, to the royal treasure-vaults and to all the royal buildings, and even the key to the secret chamber he gave into his care, with the command that he never part with it for an instant, nor suffer any one to enter into the chamber with him, nor himself to go therein, until the twelfth hour of the twelfth day of the twelfth month from the hour

Dickon Dend=the= l Boii)

of his death, had passed. When this time came he must take the key and enter the chamber alone.

This Prince Ireil promised faithfully to do.

Prince Oswald obeyed the summons, rejoicing secretly, for he loved not the old King his father, and had long wished him dead, so that he might wrest the crown from his brother ; but when he entered the room where lay the King, he simulated great sorrow and mourned noisily. He knelt by the King’s side and the King blessed him and gave him much treasure, and bade him be a faithful brother and a loyal subject, when Prince Ireil should become king.

These duties accomplished, the good old King laid himself back on his bed and died in peace, and Prince Ireil became King Ireil, and Princess Hilwildi, his wife, was Queen Hilwildi.

King Ireil mourned grievously the death of his father, for he had loved him dearly; but in the heart of Prince Oswald there was no mourning, only hatred and envy of his brother, King Ireil.

At length the twelfth hour of the twelfth day of the twelfth month from the hour of the death of the good King came, and King Ireil took the golden key from the golden chain around his neck, and made ready to enter the secret chamber. The hour was midnight, and all in the great palace was still, save the heavy tramp, tramp of the King’s guard, as he strode up and down the long hall which led to the King’s private apartments. The King wrapped his purple cloak

XI around him and passed through this hall, bidding the guard, who was a giant and of great strength, to follow; and thence through long halls and up winding stairs he went until he stood before the locked door of the secret chamber. Not a human being had King or guard seen as they passed through the halls and up the stairs, and yet a shadowy form had glided silently behind them.

The King bade the guard to stand without and keep watch so that none might enter; then he turned the key and passed within. The door opened into a small vestibule, and between the vestibule and the chamber hung a heavy black curtain. Upon the folds of this curtain the King read, emblazoned in letters of gold, these words :

Let not ambition master thee, But be ambition’s master; Thus will power thy servant be, And not thy soul’s disaster.

XII

King Ireil let these words sink deep into his heart, and then, pushing the curtain aside, stood within the room. Before him was a throne of black marble, and in the lap of the throne lay a great black battle-axe, and before the throne knelt five hideous black men, girded about the loins with tiger skins and armed with clubs. To the right of the King stood another throne which was of blue marble, and in its lap lay a great sword and before it with bowed heads sat five armed blue knights upon five strong horses. To the left was yet another throne and it was of red marble, and in its lap lay a great red shield and before it knelt five armed red knights.

King Ireil paused and wondered much how these men and horses came there and why they bowed before the thrones, and whether they were living beings — for men and horses were as motionless as carven statues. At last he saw hanging above the black throne a scroll, written over with words ; and he stepped to the throne to read what might be thereon. So intent did he become in the reading that he heard not the light step behind him, nor saw the tall form glide swiftly across the room and the strong arm seize the great axe from the lap of the black throne and whirl it aloft. Down came the axe, and the head of King Ireil leaped from off his shoulders and rolled on the floor.

“How weak a blow to fell so great a king!” said Prince Oswald, laughing scornfully. “Now will I solve the mighty secrets of this

XIII chamber, and learn wherefore these armed men and horses are here,” and Prince Oswald bent forward to read what was written on the scroll hanging above the black throne.

Now, the five black men who knelt before the black throne were five powerful genii, servants of the great black battle-axe, and the servants of him who whirled the axe thrice around his head ; and the five blue knights who sat on the five strong horses before the blue throne were five other genii, servants of the sword and the servants of him who drew its blue blade from its scabbard; and the five red knights who knelt before the red throne were also five genii, servants of the red shield and the servants of him who held the red shield aloft.

All this Prince Oswald read written on the scroll. Then he looked down on the dead King, his brother, and smiled. “Thy crown to wear, thy wife to wed, thy kingdom to rule, and these three weapons of magic might thou gavest to me, my brother , in exchange for but one blow, bravely and stoutly struck.

Vickon ‘Bend=the=‘Boto

For thy generosity I thank thee. Thou shalt have a grand funeral.” and again he smiled wickedly.

“Now will I test the magic might of these weapons, ” and he whirled the black axe three times around his head.

Instantly the five black genii sprang to their feet and bowed before him. “Master, what wilt thou that we shall do? We are thy servants, the servants of him who whirls the black axe. Command. We shall obey, ” said the five black genii.

“Go thou into the hall and, unseen, smear the axe and sprinkle the clothes of the King’s guard with blood, so that it will appear that it was he who struck off the King’s head. Then make thy selves invisible to all mortal eyes and follow me,” commanded Prince Oswald.

And the five black genii did as they were bidden.

Prince Oswald strode to the blue throne and drew the blue blade of the great sword from its scabbard.

Immediately the five blue knights and the five strong horses thrilled with life. “Master, what wilt thou that we shall do? We are thy servants, the servants of him who draws the blue sword from its scabbard. Command. We shall obey, ’ ’ said the five blue knights.

“Make thyselves invisible to all mortal eyes and follow me,” commanded Prince Oswald.

And the five blue knights did as they were bidden.

Dickon Dend=the=DoW

Now, Prince Oswald came to the red throne and lifted the red shield above his head.

At once the five red knights sprang to their feet and bowed before him. “Master, what wilt thou that we shall do? We are thy servants, the servants of him who holds aloft the red shield. Command. We shall obey, ’ ’ said the five red knights.

“Make thyselves and myself invisible to all mortal eyes and follow me,” commanded Prince Oswald.

And the five red knights did as they were bidden.

Then Prince Oswald, bearing the black axe and the blue sword and the red shield, and followed by the genii, passed, unseen, from out that chamber of death and forth from the king’s palace.

Now, when it was discovered that King Ireil lay murdered in the secret chamber and that the great axe and clothing of the king’s guard were bloody, all men believed that it was his hand which had struck the King. This they believed the more readily because the blow was a mighty one, and the king’s guard was a giant and of great strength. Accordingly the guard, notwithstanding his protests that he knew nothing as to how the King met his death nor how the blood came on his axe or person, was thrown into prison to await torture But when the day appointed for the torture came and the governor of the prison went to his cell the man had vanished.

XVI

Chapter II

How Queen Hilwildi Was Placed In The Crystal Coffin rDRINCE OSWALD rent his clothes and tore his hair when * messengers brought to him the news of the murder of his brother, King Ireil. Indeed, so well did he simulate great grief, that all men said of him, “How dearly he loved his brother.” For twelve months he outwardly mourned for the dead; then he put off his mourning and began to pay court to Queen Hilwildi, for he was not yet King and could not be, according to the laws of' that country, until he had wed the wife of the dead King or the Queen had died.

Queen Hilwildi scorned his suit. Still he persisted. From the hidden depths of the earth he bade his genii bring jewels more beautiful and costly than the eyes of man had ever looked on before. These he offered to her. She threw them from her with bitter words of scorn. He fell on his knees and began to tell of the greatness of his love. She spumed him with her foot and bade him begone from her presence, for she saw her husband’s blood on his hands.

XVII

Dickon ‘Bend=the=‘BoZO

Then Prince Oswald grew wrathful. His face darkened with hate, and, springing to his feet, he cried: “Thou hast spurned me, like a cur, with thy foot, and like a whipped dog thou shalt yet cringe before my might ! Aye, I will tame thy proud spirit, Queen though thou art!” And he whirled his great battle-axe thrice around his head.

At once the five black genii stood before him.

“Transport this woman and me to my subterranean palace, and do it so that no mortal eyes can see whither we go,” commanded Prince Oswald.

Instantly Queen Hilwildi and Prince Oswald were lifted up and borne away with the speed of thought ; and when they were put down they found themselves standing in the great circular court of a beautiful palace built of polished white marble.

“Now, proud Queen, thou art at my mercy,” said Prince Oswald. “Promise to wed me this day, or with my own hand will I slay thee and thy daughter, whom I have commanded to be brought hither As he spoke the black genii again appeared and placed the Queen’s beautiful little girl by her side.

Queen Hilwildi lifted the sweet maid up in her arms and fearlessly faced Prince Oswald. “Thou canst not slay me, nor canst thou harm my daughter,” she said boldly. “Our lives are protected by a

XVIII spell, over which thy dark soul canst have no power. I will not wed thee, and I defy thee and thy black demons and all of thy dark powers,” and she clasped the child close to her bosom and stood unflinchingly before Prince Oswald.

Prince Oswald laughed scornfully, and, lifting his battle-axe aloft, strode to within striking distance of Queen Hilwildi. ‘‘Down on thy knees, haughty woman, down quickly and beg of me the life of thyself and child, or I drive the sharp blade of this black axe through thy skull and the skull of thy babe, ’ ’ he said.

“Strike, thou murderer, strike, if thou darest, a defenceless mother and child,” answered Queen Hilwildi, as her fair cheek paled and her blue eyes sought the sweet face of the child on her bosom.

“Die then!” cried Prince Oswald, and, gripping the axe with both hands, he aimed a terrible blow at the mother and babe. Down came the axe; but light as a feather it touched the forehead of Queen Hilwildi, and the two arms of Prince Oswald fell to his side, weak as the arms of an infant, while the great axe dropped to the floor.

Prince Oswald’s dark face grew white. He had felt the might of the charm which protected the lives of the Queen and her child. He took two quick steps backward, and then drew the blue blade from its scabbard. Instantly the five blue knights, sitting on their five strong horses, were before him. “Master, what wilt thou that we shall do ? We are thy servants, the servants of him who draws the

XIX blue blade from its scabbard. Command; we shall obey,” said the five blue knights.

“Slay this woman and child,” commanded Prince Oswald, pointing with trembling finger to Queen Hilwildi and her daughter.

The knights sat still and bowed their heads low before Prince Oswald.

“Master, a power greater than ours protects this woman and child. We cannot slay them; yet hadst thou Morpheus’ bow and magic tipped arrow, then thou couldst drive the life out of her bosom for ten years. But at the end of that time, for the wrong thus done, thou must stand ready to meet any champion who shall appear in her behalf. Victory will break the charm, and then thou canst slay the woman; but, if thou art defeated, then forever will she be freed from thy power and thyself forever ruined, ” said the five blue knights. “Go bring me the bow T and arrow,” commanded Prince Oswald. The blue knights vanished ; and once more Prince Oswald and Queen Hilwildi and her daughter were alone in the room.

XX

Queen Hilwildi bent her head and pressed warm kisses on the sweet face of the child in her arms. ‘ ‘My heart is breaking, for I must part with thee, my dear one,” she whispered softly. “Take thou this token ; it is a fairy gift and hath mysterious powers. It will guard thee from Prince Oswald and when the hour of my greatest peril comes, then will it tell thee how to bring succor to thy mother,” and she placed in the little maid’s hand a pierced heart done in gold with blood drops of ruby. “Now, thou dear one, give thy mother a last love kiss, for the moment of our parting is at hand.”

Even as she spoke the five blue knights re-' appeared and placed in the hands of Prince Oswald a gold tipped bow and a single red pointed arrow. '

Prince Oswald seized the bow and quickly fitted the arrow to the string. So great was his wrath that he paused not, but the bended bow twanged and the swift arrow leaped from the hissing string.

Deep in the left bosom of Queen Hilwildi the shaft buried itself, and she fell and lay white and still like one dead on the hard marble of the floor, yet she was not dead and no blood flowed from the wound made by the arrow.

XXI

Prince Oswald now lifted the red shield high above his head, and instantly the five red knights stood before him.

“Go, thou, and make a coffin out of the purest crystal, and place within Queen Hilwildi and seal her therein with a ten year seal,” commanded Prince Oswald.

And the five red knights did as they were bidden.

Then Prince Oswald summoned ten beautiful maidens and gave them charge over the coffin and over the little girl, Queen Hilwildi ’s daughter, who had stood watching these strange doings with great round blue eyes full of woe and wonder and with little hands clasping tight to her bosom the gift of her mother.

The ten beautiful maidens bore the crystal coffin and the little girl forth from the room, and Prince Oswald stood alone.

His wicked heart swelled with pride. At last he had triumphed, and Queen Hilwildi was at his mercy. She was helpless, and could not procure a champion to do battle in her behalf. Or if, perchance, one should come, what would be his might against the demon might of the genii? His eyes gleamed wickedly, and he held his tall form proudly erect as, thus thinking, he walked from the room.

Now the black axe, the blue sword, and the red shield were weapons of great heft; and Prince Oswald soon wearied of always bearing them with him. At last he summoned all the genii before him and commanded them to be ready at all times to serve him, and bade

XXII them build a throne of gold in the Great Court of Light, and in the back of the throne to make a secret chamber, which would open only at the thrust of a thumb pressed on a certain spot.

All this the genii did.

Then Prince Oswald concealed the black axe, the blue sword, and the red shield within this secret chamber. This he did without fear, for he did not deem it possible for human being to overcome the many difficulties with which he had beset the way to his subterranean palace.

THE GIANT KNELT AND PLACED HIS HAND ON THE HEART.

CHAPTER III Dickon Bend-the-Bow Obeys the Sign of the Pierced Heart

O N the day that Queen Hilwildi disappeared from the royal palace a giant huntsman came to dwell in a rude hut built near the edge of a large forest. To all who asked his name he answered, “Dickon,” and soon he became known far and wide by the name of Dickon Bend-the-Bow. He was so called because no arm but his own had the strength to bend the great bow which he carried, nor the skill to send the sharp arrow home as true to its mark, whether that might be the heart of the bounding stag or the feathered breast of the wild goose in full flight. A great, rough, shaggy-bearded man was Dickon Bend-the-Bow, with a voice as harsh as the growl of a bear and with the strength of ten men in the brawn of his huge frame.

Swiftly the ten years slipped into the past, while the beautiful Queen lay, like the dead, in the crystal coffin, and the little maid, her daughter, grew with each year yet more wise and lovely, and the giant huntsman hunted in the great woods.

XXV

One morning, when the end of the tenth year had come, as Dickon Bend-the-Bow sat on the large flat rock which formed the door-stone to his lonely hut, he heard a light step coming down the house path, and, glancing quickly up, saw, to his great astonishment, a young maiden hastening toward him.

Now Dickon Bend-the-Bow was such a huge, shaggy-haired, rough-looking monster, and had such a deep, gruff voice that most children fled at the sight of his giant form or the sound of his terrible voice. But this little maid marched right boldly up to the door-stone whereon he sat, and, with never a look of fear in her bright blue eyes, said: “Dickon Bend-the-Bow, I have come for thee. Make thyself ready to do my bidding. By this token I command thy services,” and she held forth in the palm of her extended hand a pierced heart done in gold with blood drops of ruby.

At the words of the girl Dickon Bend-the-Bow frowned darkly, and bent his fierce eyes angrily on the maid. But at sight of the pierced heart of gold the look of anger fled, and, falling on one knee, he bowed his head even until his great beard swept the ground.

“Command of me what thou wilt, sweet maid; I am thy servant, the servant of her who holds the pierced heart,” he said. Then he arose and waited with head bowed humbly.

The maiden raised a white hand, and tossing back her hair from before her eyes, so that their bright blue shone full and unflinchingly

XXVI

Dickon "Bend-the^ oW up into the rugged face of the huntsman, said: “I am Fonhilda, the daughter of the Lady of the Pierced Heart. I came hither at her bidding, for the hour of her greatest need is at hand. Oh, thou wilt not fail us, wilt thou, good Dickon Bend-the-Bow ? Think on my mother, thy mistress, the great woe and pain of her life, her present awful peril, and be bold and strong to deliver her. Thou wilt come to her rescue, wilt thou not, good Dickon Bend-the-Bow?” On the long lashes tears trembled, and the white hands were clasped imploringly.

“Aye, aye; what man can do, even to the death, that do I gladly to serve the Lady of the Pierced Heart,” the sturdy huntsman answered.

“Thou most swear it, even on bended knees and with hand on the pierced heart, thou must swear thy troth and constancy,” and again she held forth the heart of gold on the palm of her extended hand. “Down on thy knees, good Dickon Bend-the-Bow, and lay thy great right hand on this heart. ’Tis my mother’s command. ’ ’

The giant knelt and placed his hand on the heart. Fonhilda then bade him say these words after her: “With hand on heart I swear to serve with mind and skill and might, even to the death, the Lady of the Pierced Heart and Fonhilda, her daughter. Her will I follow and her commands obey, while the warm blood flows and the quick brain thinks.”

XXVII

Slowly Dickon Bend-the-Bow repeated this oath, while his startled eyes stared at the hand which lay trembling above the heart of gold. Beneath he felt the heart grow warm and throb.

“Bravo! Good Dickon Bend-the-Bow!’’ cried the maid. “Thou hast sworn true fealty. This I know, for the pierced heart grew warm and, throbbing with thy love, told how thou art ready to serve me and mine, even with thy heart’s blood. Now, good Dickon Bend-the-Bow, lift the great flat stone whereon thou wert seated when first I came to thee.”

The giant bent his back and, grasping the stone underneath one side, he heaved with might and main. The great stone groaned and, slowly starting from its deep bed, arose, until by a mighty effort the giant threw it over backward. At the bottom of the depression thus brought to view gleamed the polished surface of a square block of white marble. From an opening near the center of this block ran the links of a great iron chain.

“Now, good Dickon Bend-the-Bow,” Fonhilda said, pointing to the block, “seize the chain and pull with all thy might, and pause not until the bucket of gold leaps into thy hands. This bucket hangs with its mouth downward, and no man knows the size of its opening nor how fast the precious fluid flows from it.' But this I know, if it be empty when it comes to thy hand, thou must die; for it is a charmed well, and he who would draw from it and fails to bring to the

XXVIII

Dickon Dend‘the="B oW surface enough water to moisten his lips, must perish. Now, good Dickon Bend-the-Bow, thou knowest the great need of haste, so put forth all thy strength. ”

Without making reply Dickon Bend-the-Bow shook his great shaggy head, threw the short cloak of bear skin from off his massive shoulders, tightened the broad belt around his waist and, bending forward, grasped the iron chain. He pulled until cords and sinews stood out like knotted whipcords on his great arms and neck. Then the chain gave way and he began to draw it slowly through the marble opening.

At first it came tardily and with great difficulty, but soon the pulling became easier and Dickon Bend-the-Bow, putting forth all his strength and quickness, made the links smoke with the heat of their rapid passage.

The chain seemed endless. Minute after minute went by until an hour had passed, and still link followed link in rapid succession.

The tremendous strain was beginning to tell even on the iron frame of the huntsman. His breath came in quick, labored gasps; the marble block was wet, as from a shower of rain, with the falling sweat drops. His great limbs trembled, and the blood rushing to his head blinde.d him.

Still link rattled merrily after link.

The iron wore through the tough skin of his hands. Every grasp

XXIX left its mark of red on the links.

The piled up chain by his side reached to the height of his shoulder. His huge body began to sway back and forth and his trembling knees to bend.

Fonhilda stood by the side of the marble block. Her face was as white as the stone. She was watching a race with death.

She saw that the strength of the giant was fast failing. She noticed his flushed face, his labored breathing, his trembling limbs and bloodshot eyes.

She saw his huge shoulders begin to sway, his knees to sink as though he was about to fall, and, with a quick crv of agony, she sank on her knees and lifted her hands beseechingly.

‘‘Good Dickon Bend-the-Bow!” she exclaimed, “thou must not fail! Think of what depends on thee! The life of the Lady of the Pierced Heart and thine own existence hang at the end of the chain ! Look once again on the heart, the symbol of thy lady’s wronged and suffering life, and make one last mighty effort!’’ and she extended her hands, with the golden heart within them, imploringly toward him.

Dickon Bend-the-Bow turned his eyes for a moment on the heart. He saw that it was again throbbing as with life and that the red drops were falling. The sight sent the strength back into his exhausted limbs. He thought of the fate of his lady should he fail, cf his own death, and at the thought the sparks flew from the marble opening as though the chain had set fire to the stone with the heat of its swift passage.

Suddenly the top of the block flew apart with a loud noise and the bucket of gold leaped through the opening. A small stream of an amber colored fluid was slowly trickling from its mouth. With a shout of joy Fonhilda sprang forward and set the bucket upright. She then quickly unclasped from a gold chain around her neck a silver flask and filled it with the precious fluid. The flask was not large, but when it was filled the bucket was empty.

The chain and the golden bucket now fell back of themselves into the well and the top of the marble block came together again, so that the square block of marble, with the great chain protruding from the opening near the center, looked just as it had when first the flat stone had been lifted.

Dickon Bend-the-Bow lay like the dead where he had fallen the instant his hand touched the bucket. Fonhilda placed the flask to his mouth and moistened his lips with the amber water. At once his strength came back and all his weariness fled, and he stood up, feeling

XXXI like one who had just arisen from a refreshing sleep. She rubbed a few drops of the magical fluid over his bruised and bleeding hands. The worn flesh and skin came in anew and the hands were made whole. She then fastened the precious flask to the gold chain around her neck.

“Now, good Dickon Bend-the-Bow, place the great flat stone back over the well,” she commanded.

Dickon Bend-the-Bow did as bidden.

Again Fonhilda commanded, “Get thy great bow and all thy longest and sharpest arrows and follow me.”

Straightway Dickon Bend-the-Bow entered the hut, lifted the great bow from off its deer-hom hooks, slung a quiver well filled with arrows of great length over his shoulders, tightened the belt about his waist, and signified to the girl that he was ready.

xxxn

Chapter IV

The Hall of the Black Giant r ONHILDA led the way into the great woods.

Presently they came to a deep, rocky ravine. At the end of this ravine was the dark mouth of a great cave. Fonhilda, reaching up, clasped one of Dickon Bend-the-Bow’s great rough hands in hers and entered with him into this cavern. Not more than one hundred yards from the entrance a huge gate of solid brass barred their further passage. High above their heads swung a lamp, and by its light the } 7 read engraved on the gate these words :